to
shave or not to shave
by joelle cormier
Why do women shave???
I don’t shave my legs as often as my husband would
probably like and I admit there are times when I don't
like the look of my hairy legs myself. Although, I believe
that is due to a lifetime of training and encoding.
I would guesstimate that I spend approximately .5% of
my time thinking about my leg warmers. Had I never started
shaving in the first place the hair wouldn’t be
as rough or uncomfortable – but someone, somewhere
said women should shave their legs and so we did. It’s
another one of America’s many great customs. What
I don’t understand is why, if it’s so damn
wonderful to have hairless, smooth legs – why
don’t men shave theirs???
When I asked my husband why he didn’t shave his
legs he answered, “Uhhhhh…because I’m
a guy.” When I asked him why I shaved mine he
said, “I don’t know – probably because
back in the 1800’s women started showing their
legs off.” I decided not to go there – but
believe it or not, he did end up making a point. Because
men are naturally hairier, it would be unpractical to
expect men to shave their whole body every day. Since
it would look odd to have hair covering your whole body
– except for your legs. And because most men get
re-growth within hours, they’d have to shave every
day. Following this same reasoning, since most women
don’t have hair all over their bodies it would
look odd to have hairy legs when the rest of the body
is smooth and hairless.
Still – that doesn’t really explain why
women shave. After all, who decides what looks odd and
what doesn’t? I personally think it looks odd
to have hair on your ass! But I don’t expect my
husband to go shave his. I figure it’s there for
a reason. Besides most guys have hairy rumps. I’m
sure if we started seeing more male actors baring their
buns on the big screen, and women started commenting
on how nice a smooth hairless ass looked, men might
start shaving their buttocks. Ten years from now, some
guy somewhere will be laying in bed with his girlfriend,
and ask, “Why do I shave my ass?” His girlfriend
will respond, “Because back in the late 1990’s
men started showing off their butts.”
And excuse me, but just because women wear skirts doesn’t
mean they are showing off their legs anymore than men
do when they wear shorts. Yet no one would raise an
eyebrow if they saw a group of men walking by with shorts
on and hairy legs! But if you took a group of women
in skirts with hairy legs - not only would it raise
eyebrows, it'd have a lot of people thinking, "Look
- a bunch of lesbians!"
So why is it different for women?
I asked my husband if he’d care if I stopped shaving
my legs. He replied “Looking at hairy legs isn’t
a turn on.” The conversation ended when I replied,
“Well, looking at a hairy ass isn’t a turn
on either!”
So, basically all I could come up with is...women put
up with the nicks and cuts and hassle of shaving because...
men find it a turn on.
Of course, not all women shave. I remember a girl,
wearing a short sleeveless baby doll dress, that had
come in the thrift store I worked at when I was 18 or
19. She had bright red hair and hadn’t shaved
her legs or underarms. I didn't turn my head with dismay
- instead I admired her and thought she was beautiful!
I envied her self esteem - her bravery. I know it sounds
dumb to say a woman is brave for not shaving and going
out in public - but WOULD YOU? Even as I write this,
I can’t help but find the hairy patches covering
my legs somewhat repulsive. At the same time I’m
disappointed that I can be so easily brainwashed.
If you are a woman who doesn’t shave –
and I don’t mean just in the wintertime - email
me! I’d like to hear from you!
UPDATE:
After writing this article I decided to see how long
I could go without shaving my legs. As the days passed,
a new sense of womanhood started to stir in me. I excitedly
told many of my female cohorts, and mother, of my new
found liberation. I was shocked at their response. I
hadn't realized that we as women have been so brainwashed
into thinking that what we read and see in Cosmo is
what is considered feminine. So until beauty rags start
running ads with models exposing their hairy legs it'll
never be fashionable or womanly.
If a woman has hairy legs people say "She's letting
herself go. She should take better care of herself."
(or the even more presumptuous "she must be a lesbian!")
Whattheflyingfuckever! That reminds me of all the comments
I'd get over my pale skin. "Oh, you poor thing
- don't you eat? You look so unhealthy. You need to
go out in the sun more. Get some color in your skin.
You look like you're at death's door."
Oh yeah, exactly what I needed - soak up some cancerous
sun and eventually get some of the oh so fashionable
and healthy looking age spots and wrinkles!!!
Sadly, I did start shaving again. But only occasionally
- when I feel like it. It's not just an automatic brainless
reaction now when I'm taking a shower. Most times I
decide not to, but there are times when my legs start
to itch from the scratchy mounds of hair - and I shave
it all off. I never did stop shaving my underarms though
and I doubt I ever will, only because I swear that makes
my armpits stink more when I sweat! And of course I
tend the patch in the middle for those times when my
husband wants a snack! ;)
taken from here
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